Headsets and other portable communications devices are often designed to be easily stored during non-operation so that the headset can be transported along with a mobile telephone device. In the prior art, headsets often employ an earbud with a speaker and a microphone coupled to a cord which dangles down from the user's ear during operation. This boomless headset design allows for convenient storage, often employing an integrated cord retractor to wind the headset cord during non-operation.
Headset cords are often bulky, cumbersome and difficult to store when excessively long. The headset cords often become entangled during headset stowage, exposing them to damage. The entangled cords must be unentangled prior to operation. This is undesirable to consumers, who generally prefer compact telecommunication devices and accessories.
Integrated cord retractors only wind the headset cord between the headset plug interface and the dangling microphone. The length of cord between the earbud and the dangling microphone is not wound due to the coupling of the microphone to the cord. Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art headset configuration is illustrated. An earbud 100 is coupled to a microphone 102 via a length of electrical cord 104. Microphone 102 is fixed to electrical cord 104, and as a result, the length of electrical cord 104 between earbud 100 and microphone 102 is fixed. A cord retractor 106 is utilized to wind the length of the electrical cord 104 between microphone 102 and connector 108.
The unwound length of cord 104 is exposed to potential damage and inconvenient tangling during transportation of headset. In one typical solution, the length of unwound cord is shortened by coupling the microphone to the cord closer to the earbud. However, this solution introduces the potential for insufficient isolation of a voice signal during operation, resulting in echo. Furthermore, during operation of the headset users frequently position the microphone closer to their mouth with their hand to improve the signal to noise ratio of the voice signal. By shortening the length of unwound cord, there may be insufficient length to position the microphone in front of the user mouth as desired.
Thus, improved headset designs are needed that provide both performance and portability.